Process for making expanded-metal structures.



u H. E. WHITE. PRQCESS FOR MAKING EXPANDED METAL STRUCTURES.

APPLICATION,HLED IUNE 14, I913.

Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

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H. E. WHITE. PROCESS FOR MMUNG EXPANDED METAL STRUCTURES.

APPLICATIGN FILED JUNE 14-, 19H];

Patented J= 1111.16,l917.

SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. E. WHITE.

PROCESS FOR MAKING EXPANDED METAL STRUCTURES.

APPLICATION min JUNE 14. 1913.

1,212,863. Patented Jam16,1917.

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awuwtoc H. E. WHITE! PROCESS FOR MAKING EXPANDED METAL STRUCTURES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1913.

Patented Jan, 16, 1917.

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PIHOGES.

ra rENT OFFICE.

lit MAKING EXPANDED-METAL STRUCTURES.

con r lat ennui. W i-irii'n, a tin. l... ri :hng at a, in the ianifityof Ma honing I hie, l'uive invented. certain Ful improvements in i'rocesses "al if ruct'ur 11g speciiirntion.

inrentimi relai .h in

; may i fully and comployed to slit and expand ineet. that is between.itted areas, 'Wl'ill'lOlli] Woducing a contracribs or plain areas ing,and expand-- like presi pulling e play or stretcl'i'mg likely lr'rd inthe weikest in an in :lly lath percent- .llhis condit' imposes 2h 1;);at some nne during c ling o iieration at least nltaneonsly, and thisinternal edges froiin dly u wit oi nil the pi an 11 ch Specification ofLetters Patent.

't of the in ention to proviiile part of the w a heads at the outermarginal edge of the lat-' Patented Jan. 16, 1.917.

Application. filed June 14, 1913. Serial No. 773,651.

proceed the progressive cutting and stretching of additional strandsuntil the entire predetermined field or area is slitted, stretched, andpartly expanded.

In carrying out the process any suitable instrumentalities ormechanismsinay he employed which are available, or can be adapted, forthe purpose, so for illustrative purposes there are only shown in thedrawings, (iliagrammatically, such views may be necessary for a fullunderstanding of the manipulationof the metal sheet to develop andnfoduce, in a rapid and economical manner, the expanded metal structure.

In these drawings Figure l is a diagram illustrative of one arrangementof die positions that may be followed in carrying out the invention.Fig. 2 is a plan "View of a. partially slit sheet metal blank showingthe progressive ac ion of the dies having the order shown in. Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a detail cross sectional view on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2illustrating the action of the dies c:-c in hi i Fig. 4 is a similarview on the line -i l of Fig". 2 illustrating the action of the dies (Z-rt for the outermost cute; this line of section also ap 'iearing on theline 44 of Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a sheet metal blank havingareas thereof slitted, stretched, and partly expanded according to thesteps llll. 'ated by Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4. 6 is a longitudinal sectional.view on the line 6 B of Fig. 5. Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are plan, longitudinalsectional, and cross sectional views respectively of i the finishedproduct formed laterally spreading the sheet shown in Fig. 5; the Figs.8 and 9 bein" sections on lines 8--8 and 9-9 of. Fig. 7.' l E) is across sectlonal View of the finished product having ribs between theslitted. and expanded. areas and reinforce ter; the line of sectionbeing indicated by line 9---9"- on Fig. 7,. Figs. 10 and 11 arediagrammatic plan and longitudinal sec tional views respectively (Fig.11 being on the line 11--11 of Fig. 10), illustrating a modification inthe order of the action of the dies to produce the preliminary col-rmgniited shape. Fig. 12 is a view similar to Figs. 2 and. 10 showinganother modification in the order of the action of the dies. Fig. is aplan view of a completely slitted, stretched, and corrugated sheetproduced according to the action of dies illustrated in Fig. 12. Fig. 14is a'lon itudinal sectional view on. the line 14-14 0 .Fig. 13. Fig. 15is a cross sectional view on the line. 15-15 of Fig. 13. Figs. 16, 171'8,and 19am views similar to Figs. 12, 13, law-1nd 15, but illustratinga special cutting and offsetting which displaces "slitt'ed corrugationsto both sides of the plane of the sheet. I

.Like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the severalfigures of, the drawings. 7 i

As stated, the present invention contemplates slitting, stretching, andexpanding a metal sheet between at least two ribs, or between. at leasttwo non-conti'actible unslitted areas, without buckling, or otherwiseproducing a contraction of said ribs or said areas during theseoperations. This may be performed with any suitable mechanism orapparatus available. for the purpose, but preferably by means ofcombined cutting and displacing dies have the structural and functionalcharacteristics, for instance, of the dies disclosed in the patent tothis appllicant, #1949532, dated Jan. 7 1913.

owever, the,pre'cise arrangement of such dies would necessarily varyaccording to the exact progression of the cuts or slits to be made inthe metal sheet, and as the mounting and handling of dies of thischaracter may be readily understood by reference to the patentaforesaid, there is shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, a diagramillustrative of one arrangement of die positions that may be followed incarrying out the invention.

Referring to said diagram of Fig. 1 it will be observed that a minimumnumber of dies are indicated for the, sake of clearness, and said diespreserve a progressive order so as to successively come into action andat the same time to jointly provide :for cutting all of the slits in themetal sheet and displacing or offsetting the strands formed thereby toone side of the plane of the sheet,

According to the diagram, the set of dies includes a pr mary center diea, and progressively arranged, or successive, pairs of-parallel diesb--b, c0, and rl-d, and so on to,

any desired number of such pairs of vdies, as may be required. Thefirst. stage in the manipulation of the metal sheet between these diesis to cut into the sheet, at the center of the space to be slitted, amiddle series of longitudinal interrupted slits, designated by thenumeral 1 in Fig. 2 of the drawings. This middle line of interruptedslits is produced v'the action of the primary center die a, and theoperation involved is merely rows or parallel longitudinal interruptedslits, designated respectively by the numerals 2 2, 3 3, and -1 l, andwhich are respectivelyproduced by the action, successively, of the pairsof dies b-b, cc, and M, of

the die set. The metal sheet is thus cut with parallel lines ofinterrupted slits arranged alternately in adjacent lines so that theslits in each .row thereof are disposed in staggered relation to theslits of parallel adjacent rows. This is shown in Fig. 5 of the drawingswhich illustrates a. metal sheet that has been slitted, stretched, andpartly expanded by, the action of the combined cutting and displacingdies, preparatory to subjecting the sheet in that condition to thesubsequent lateral. spreading or expandin. operation for pullingthestretched and o set' 'strands to form full-open meshes.

I Referring more particularly to the progressiveaction of the slitting,stretching, and displacing operation, it will be observed, according tothe order of cuts prescribed by the arrangement, shown in Figs. ,1 and2, that the production of the central slits 1 does not include anaccompanying stretching action, and that the first pair of dies b-b alsomerelycut the material to produce the first pair of slits 22respectively upon opposite sides of the central slit 1. But, the

- next succeeding Pair of dies c are closer together than the precedingdies, 6-6, and are so arranged as to cut the metal sheet midway of thespace between the central starting slit 1 and the first pairof startingslits 2-2 and in alternating or staggered relation thereto, as best seenin Fig. 2 of the drawings. Also, the said dies cc are of a suitable formand have the proper movement to effect a displacing or offsetting of themetal strands formed by and between the slits 33. Accordingly, theaction of the dies c-c is to producethe slits 3-3 in the sheet, and todepress all the material therebetween to one side of the plane of thesheet,

with a consequent tretching orlongitudinal cuts 4 in alternating orstaggered relation to a of the slits 2 lying in the transverse planed-d. By means of other similarly or equivalently arranged pairs of dies,the operation may be repeated to the required extent, accogding to thewidth of area to be slitted, stretched, and partly expanded,

When the area between the non-contracting Webs 5 between theadjacentehds of two of the slits 4; which are madeby the .dies

ible unslitted areas or ribs is completely slitted, stretched, andpartly expanded,-ac-' cording to the order above described, the

sheet has the formation shown more clearly in Figs. 5 and 6 of thedrawings, wherein the stretched and offset strands have uniformprojection. to one side of the plane ofgthe sheet, and form what may betermed uniform transverse slitted corrugations or regular undulations,with the slits closed or en stantially closed, and the ridges of whichcorrugations are in the transverse plane of the articular ones of theunslit webs 6 which connect the outermost strands in each slitted areawith the margins of'the unslitted areas or ribs of the metal sheet, asplainly shown in both Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings. In other words, thestep of the process, so far described, produces an unopened und'ulatedslitted area between the blank or ribbed areas with the slits in asubstantially closed condition. so that, in order to complete thematerial, it is neces' sary by any of the well known instrumentalitiessuitable for the purpose to spread or expand the sheet laterally. Thisoperation opens up the slits and pulls or deploys the stretched strandsapart to give the meshes their final form and size.

The result of the final step of the process is illustrated by the groupof Figs. 7, 8, and 9, of the drawings. Referring more particularly tothe plan and sectional views of Figs. 7 and 9, it will be noted thatwhen the material in its unopened corrugated form, as shown in. Figs. 5and (i, is pulled, drawn, or spread laterally, the various unslittedterminal and side connecting webs 5 fold or crease in line with tliiecuts and hence become hinging points or axes upon which the stretchedstrands s turn or twist to positions which are inclined or oblique tothe hori' zontal plane of the sheet, and thereby pro ducing what may betermed concave-com vex lanceolate meshes which provide effective keysfor the. cernentitious material. It will now be apparent that inthe'finished product, the expanded or open meshes there? of are not onlyof lanceolate shape, but are concavo-convex or dished, and each meshconsists of opposite bent walls (formed by stretched strands-s)converging toward both ends of the mesh wherethey unite with the ends ofthe contiguous meshes in the same row, and at its center. each mesh wallis joined to the laterally adjacent wall. of the mesh in the sametransverse row. Furthermore, as already maed, the mesh walls aredisposed at an inclination or obliquely to the flat plane of the sheetto produce the dished effect and the lanceolate meshes.

all these characteristics of the slitted andexpanded areas of theproduct, it will be understood, as stated that the said slittcd andexpanded areas alternate with plain unslitted areas. as shown in Figs.7, H and 9 of the drawings, or with ribs 7, as shown in, Fig. 9* of thedrawings. It is also prelierable in producing the ribbed product to formbarlc-turnrd reinforce beads or flanges f by the means shown, forinstance, in my Patent No. 1,125,786, dated Jan. 1!), 1915.

The order and action oi the dies in performing the step of slitting,stretching, and displacing the metal is subject to, change withoutaltering the process proper. To illustrate this, there is shown in Figs.10 and ll of the drawings, a metal sheet operated upon by anarrangouu-nt of the dies wherein the primary center die may be followedsuccessively by the production of the outermost slits 4 and astretching, and. depressing of all of the intervening strands atherebetween, and then subjecting the uniform slitted corrugations thusproduced to the further slitting action of dies to form intermediaterows of the inte 'rupted slits 1 and 3 alternating with the slits 2 and4 in staggered relation, thus producing precisely the same unopenedtransversely oor rugated slitted area, whose corrugations have aunit'oriu projection from the body of the sheet, so that the final stepof the process to 'open up or deploy the strands remains the same asalready described. Again. as suggested in Figs. 12. 13, 14, and 15, theairangeinrnt of dies may be such as to produce the line of interruptedcentral slits 1 as the first stage of the process, next to produce apair of slits 2-2 respectively upon opposite sides of the center slit,and to simultaneously stretch. and ofl'set' the intervening strands ofmaterial 8. Then to follow with an intermediate pair of slits 3-3between and alternating with the center slit 1 and the pair of slits 22,but without further displacing or offsetting of the strands, and finallyto produce outer slits 44, and to simultaneously depress the marginalstrands 8 next to said slits, and all of the intervening unopenedcorrugated slitted material formed between the preceding slits 1, 2, and3. The effect of this is to produce, along 'the side margins of theslitted area, open meshes 8 having substan tially the form and size ofthe finished the partly finished productshown in Fig. 13 of the drawingsis subjected to the final step of lateral spreading which opens up thesaid unopened slitted corrugations.

In the several phases of the invention so far described, the sameexhibit the preferablefeature of pressing all of the out and stretchedstrands to one side of the original plane of the sheet rather than topress part to one side and part to the other, as such referredarrangement produces a sheet that is more easily handled .without injuryand which maygbe lnore readilyspreadlaterally. But, it is intended thatthe presentjprocess shall apply to the production of a sheet wherein theaction of the dies issu-ch that part of the stretched strands maypressed to one side of the plane of thesheet, and part to the other sideof the plane of the sheet. The result of such action in the die cuttingand pressing step is suggested in Figs. 16 to 19 inclusive of thedrawings, wherein it will be observed that the center line of stretchedstrands .9 formed between the intermediate slits 3'-'-3 and 11 arepressed, to one side of the plane of the sheet,

- While the remaining strands s---s formed tween the slits 2, 3 and 4are pressed to the other side of the plane of'the sheet- Yet theseoppositely projecting strands lie in the same transverse plane and havea unitorm' pro ection from the plane of'the sheet, and.

also preserve the feature of regular orsnniform unopened transverseslitted corrugations, so that necessarily the final step of theprocessand its resultant effect is precisely the same with this modifiedprelimi nary shape as with the other preliminary shapes alreadydescribed.

I claim t 1. The method of making expanded metal structures whichconsists in slitting thepor- 'tion of the blank to be ex ended,stretching longitudinally the meta of the strands formed by the slitsand deforming theslitted ot the strands, formed by the rows of slits anddeforming the slitted and stretched material into unbroken undulationsdis placed to the side of the "blank, and then acting on the blank'tocause the displaced portion to spread, thereby opening the slits into,meshes.

3. The method of making expanded metal structures which consists inlongitudinally slitting the portionof the blank to on eye pended, and,simultaneously with the slit-' ting operatioln stretchln the metal ofthe strands formed by the's its and deforming the slitted and stretchedmaterial into unbroken undulations, without opening the slits, andsubsequently spreading; the sheet laterally to thereby open the slitsinto meshes. I

- 4. ilhehereindescribed method of opening portions of a sheet blankinto expanded metal 0 en-work comprisin meshes of sub -stantial ydiamond form, w 'ichconsists in H portion to be expanded, and,

slitting the simultaneous y With-the slitting operation, stretching'thestrands formed by the slits and deforming. the slitted and stretchedmaterial into-unbroken undulations, and then acting on the blank. tocause the stretched and. deformed portion tobe opened into .meshes andthereby brought into a widened plane.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the resenc'e oftwo witnesses. HERBERT WHITE.

Witnesses: R. M, BELL,

O. D. KAISER.

